Through The Silence of Day
by manga.geek.3
Summary: Hawkeye entered the office, her expression scarcely giving away the conversation. "It would seem that Edward is missing, sir. Apparently he had mentioned something about leaving in the morning but never showed up to check out." Mustang, now sitting at the desk once more, slammed a fist down, "dammit!": Companion story to "Come Hell Or High Water" taken from Mustang's PoV.
1. Part 1

**_Hey guys! Look who's back! This is the companion story to "Come Hell Or High Water"! It will be in 2 parts because it's gotten pretty long xD I sincerely hope you enjoy it and I want to give a shout out to IzXaRose for helping me get this story out faster than I normally would have. Seriously, it would have taken longer simply because it is easy to lose faith in yourself when you take longer than you meant to get something done. Ya know? And also, thanks to everyone else who reviewed "Come Hell Or High Water!" It made me so excited to know that you all loved my work! :D Anyways... I hope you enjoy this first half and I will have the next half up in a few days :D Stay rockin'!_**

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Many things were noticeable on this particular day. The brilliant blue sky didn't leave anyone to wonder how hot it was outside, with the occasional bird chirping. It was the perfect day for footsteps to be heard inside the large building called Central. And it was on this particular day that no one should have shown up late to work.

At least, that's what one would have expected. Yet, it was nearly mid-afternoon and the only thing that could be heard was a pen, meticulously tapping on the mahogany desk. It was obvious to each member of Mustang's team that their colonel was irritated. And it irritated him further that they acted like they had to walk on eggshells just to get anything done.

Mustang looked out the window of his office, unable to concentrate on the paperwork. It irritated him that the day didn't seem to match his mood. Birds should no longer be making noise. Not at this hour of the day. They were too happy of creatures, and it wasn't the first time that day that Mustang wished he could silence their voices; and it irritated him as well that he had no more power to silence them as he did controlling the weather.

Overall, Mustang was irritated.

With a quipped sigh, Mustang stood up, choosing to pace the office floor. The one that Mustang was most irritated with was Fullmetal. The kid, albeit reckless, had a small sense of responsibility and tended to give him a call when a mission was finished. Yet he'd heard nothing from the alchemist since he left for his mission.

Now, on occasion, Ed would forget to give Mustang a call and then he'd receive a call from Alphonse to explain the reasons. But Alphonse had not gone with Ed this time round and so, to hear this silence - especially after such an easy mission - worried Mustang. And it irritated Mustang that he felt worried because he shouldn't be _this_ worried about one of his subordinates.

His men knew how to take care of themselves. He could trust them. And that included Fullmetal. After all, Fullmetal was a part of his team too. Unfortunately the kid had a tendency to act like a kid and rebel if he felt he could. Mustang sometimes felt like a father disciplining his child whenever he'd chastise Fullmetal about some such thing or another.

And unfortunately, Ed had a tendency to cause Mustang to needlessly think about him when he had much more important things to think about. Like paperwork (that he would glare at all day until he had to rush to get them signed). But because of one damn phone call that had yet to be made, Mustang couldn't focus. The kid should have been arriving in his office any time now. But when no shouts or yells that said "here's your damn report" came forth, Mustang finally cracked.

"Where the hell is he?" He harshly set his pen on the desk. No amount of walking was going to help his situation any.

"Sir," Hawkeye - with her silent and watchful presence on an irritating day such as this - took that moment to make herself known, "would you like me to have someone ring the hotel Edward is staying at?"

"Hm," Mustang grunted, then sighed, "Yes, please." His mutterings put a small hint of a smile on Hawkeye's face, unbeknownst to Mustang, and she quickly left the room. For all his irritation, his heart pounded in anticipation. Surely Fullmetal would be there, biding his time just to tick Mustang off. It almost seemed too hopeful in Mustang's mind. And that worried him even more.

Less than ten minutes later, Hawkeye entered the office, her expression scarcely giving away the conversation.

"It would seem that Edward is missing, sir. Apparently he had mentioned something about leaving in the morning but never showed up to check out."

Mustang, now sitting at the desk once more, slammed a fist down, "dammit!" A half sigh, half groan escaped his lips. This was getting to be more trouble than he had expected. "Call our intelligence in that area and see what they can ground up about Fullmetal. I want feedback by twenty-one hundred hours tonight."

"Yes sir," Hawkeye gave a slight nod as she walked out the door. Mustang watched her leave then took a glance at the pile of paperwork on his desk. It was going to be a long day.

Indeed, the sun casually made its way across the sky, as if taunting Mustang with its cheery light, all the while the clock ticked with ease. His subordinates stayed clear of his presence for most of its entirety, which left Mustang to contemplate why it was he felt almost physically ill about Fullmetals disappearance.

"Why do you have me so damned worried, Fullmetal?" He questioned allowed, staring blankly at the paperwork on his desk. His heart pumped a little faster, recalling his assurance to Fullmetal before he left.

" _They've had some disputes in the past with the military, but that shouldn't be much of a problem."_ He groaned, aggravated with himself. What a fool he'd been, to have said something so obviously uninformed. And now he was paying the price. They all were. One look out his office door, and he could see the worry oozing through the air. It was as plain as day on their faces, though they'd rather not admit it aloud themselves.

He couldn't wait to hear the news from Hawkeye. Surely she would tell him that Fullmetal was just acting irresponsible. Surely she would say that he was pulling a prank on them just to rile him up. But deep down, Mustang knew he was wrong. So very wrong.

Too anxious to read the words properly on his paperwork, Mustang stood and decided to take a walk, needing to clear his mind. Or rather, try to escape his thoughts of Fullmetal. Instead, he decided to inquire information about the town, to see if maybe there was any clue to their ill will towards the military.

Briefly letting his men know his whereabouts, Mustang walked with purpose towards his destination, feeling a sudden haste to find the answers he was seeking. Upon entering the designated room, Mustang found and pulled out the information concerning the backup soldiers intended to help the Mayor at the time, as well as information concerning their attitude since that time.

It read: _The city of Canan requested backup for a certain kidnapping and ransom. Backup ensued, but it was a failed mission. The Mayor's daughter was deceased before rescue was possible._

Mustang had heard about the rescue mission, having only been a lieutenant at the time but not a part of the rescue himself. And while at the time it had saddened him to learn of the young girl's murder, he hadn't thought much of incident since. Now though, he was disturbed to realize the citizens had such a negative reaction.

Farther down the notes it read: _Citizens of Canan have not responded well to the soldiers sent to help. Many have been arrested for attempt to harm officers of the law._ The more Mustang read, the more his eyes grew wide as he saw the conflicts between each city.

He really was an idiot. Such tiny details that seemed so inconsequential before were now glaringly obvious, and now Fullmetal was missing. Of course he was missing. What could the other possibilities be? Once again, he groaned, knowing what he had to do next but having no desire to do it.

Leaving the room, Mustang walked briskly, hoping that Hawkeye had information waiting for him when he returned. But she was not in the office when he entered, so he simply slammed his personal office door closed, shutting out all sounds of human life with it.

Several hours later, Hawkeye finally entered the room, her attitude grim. The news was not good and Mustang knew it.

"What information do you have for me?" He opened up the topic, wanting no distractions.

"Sir, it has been confirmed that Fullmetal is missing," Mustang gripped his pencil tightly, threatening to break its thin body.

"It's also been discovered that he was kidnapped."

"Dammit!" Mustang slammed a fist on the desk, not caring that he now had a pencil mess to clean up. "Have we figured out who is responsible?"

"They believe it to be the ex-mayor of the city, Ex-Mayor Myolees. Apparently he has held a grudge all this time."

Mustang clenched his teeth, unable to put his anger in check. He didn't care who the ex-mayor was, if they had done anything to Fullmetal, there would be hell to pay.

"Thank you, Hawkeye," He finally said, "it looks like we're going to need to get some men out to that city and search for Fullmetal," he stood up, "and make sure I'm on that list."

"Sir!" Hawkeye saluted, then turned on her heel and left the room. Mustang plopped tiredly back into his seat, suddenly feeling so exhausted. The day was only half over and already Mustang was feeling its affects. He sat with his eyes closed for a few moments before he realized Alphonse was still in the dark about his brother's situation. Briefly, he contemplated whether or not this needed to happen right away, but fundamentally, Mustang knew Alphonse needed to know.

Wanting this next conversation to be over and done with, Mustang swore once again. He couldn't help his anger. Not only was Fullmetal kidnapped, but now he had to tell Alphonse all about it. This was not the type of conversation he wanted to have ever again.

Ridiculous as it was, Fullmetal had been kidnapped before, so Mustang had experience in dealing with Alphonse. But in his gut, Mustang felt something acutely different with this kidnapping, and that was his reasoning to call.

Once again, a part of Mustang hoped that this was some sort of obnoxious practical joke that Fullmetal was playing, that when he called Alphonse, Ed would answer and laugh in the annoying way he did, throwing it back in his face how worried Mustang was.

But Mustang was keenly aware of his stomach rolling with anxiety, and knew that this would not be that type of phone call. Blowing out a breath, Mustang picked up the phone, and dialed.

"Hello?," Alphonse answered on the third ring,

"Hello, Alphonse, this is Colonel Mustang, how are you doing?" Mustang waited, the nervous tapping of his pen once more creating sound.

After a short pause, Alphonse replied, "What happened." The statement was short and shared a thousand meanings. A humorless smile played upon Mustang's lips. He couldn't fool Alphonse even for a second.

"Just as observant as Fullmetal, aren't you?"

"Yes." Both men paused before Alphonse spoke again, "what happened to my brother? Is he alright?" Mustang let out a breathe. It seemed that sighing was the sound of the day. Pressing two fingers against the bridge of his nose, Mustang responded,

"Unfortunately, we don't think so. We believe that Fullmetal has been kidnapped."

"Again?" Although Alphonse answered calmly - which had Mustang quite impressed - there was an urgency to his question that only someone who knew him would have heard.

"Yes," He repeated just as calmly. How absurd was it to say that Fullmetal had been kidnapped more than once? It was ludicrous when he thought about it, but not too surprising considering who it was they were discussing.

"Now, I know you had been expecting Fullmetal back today, but that doesn't look likely at this point."

"I see…" Alphonse paused for a split second, "Let me help you find my brother. I want to help!" He offered, as he always did in this situation. Maybe more for his own personal self more than for Mustang.

"For now, just stay put. If this goes on longer than usual, we'll give you a call."

"Promise?"

"Yes."

"Let me know once you've heard something more. I want to help find him!"

"Don't worry, Alphonse, we will give you a call if we need your help." It was once again the reassuring to a kid that had Mustang contemplating what it must be like to be a father. Surely, it wasn't so stressful as this! Hughes had always made it seem easy.

Before he could contemplate that tragedy any further, Mustang talked with Alphonse a little longer before hanging up. He closed his eyes, resting his head lightly against clasped fingers. There was no way he would be getting any rest until they found Fullmetal. If anything happened to that kid, Mustang didn't think he would handle it well. Losing Hughes had already been too much, and he wasn't even responsible for him.

Taking a long breath in, Mustang readied his paper and tried not to think about the worst possibilities that could come from this. He then stood, grabbed his coat and walked out the door.

"I'll be back," he said to no one in particular. His crew watched him, though, anxious looks on their faces. He could only give them a nod of assurance that he didn't even feel himself, before walking out of the office once again. Time to pack up. Hopefully they wouldn't be gone for a long time. The sooner they found Fullmetal, the sooner Mustang could get his feelings back to normal. Worrying about the kid was too irksome for his liking.

Because of responsibilities, they were unable to leave until the next day. After a quick rundown on what was going on for the next few days or more, Mustang, Hawkeye, Havoc, Breda and several other men were ready and waiting at the train station, their train arriving with ten minutes to spare. They stood silent until they entered the train finding seats near each other to discuss their next course of action upon entering the city.

"Listen up," Mustang called to attention, "Here's what we're going to do." Emphasizing a pile of paper with orders written on them for each person, Mustang handed out each one to their respective owner, then proceeded to explain in full detail where each person would be called to attention, including his subordinates, each person studying their role in the rescue mission once they arrived in Canan.

The mood the entire train ride was somber. When Mustang explained what had happened in the city those years ago to the newer military recruits, it became considerably clear what kind of trouble Edward may have found himself in. The furrow to Hawkeye's brow indicated that he wasn't wrong to send out this rescue mission. Something was amiss, and in his gut, Mustang knew they had to act fast.

They couldn't have arrived in Canan fast enough. The second the train stopped, Mustang jumped up, ready for action. He felt restless and useless sitting on a train. If there had been a way to arrive faster, Mustang would have taken that route. With Hawkeye and the rest following his lead, they quickly left the train station.

On the streets of Canan, every military man scattered, heading to their respective positions to find more information on the Fullmetal Alchemist. Mustang and Hawkeye made their way to the police station in the center of the city, while Havoc and Breda spoke to citizens near the hotel Ed had been staying at.

A bell rang as the door opened. Dressed in their signature blue, Mustang and Hawkeye stood out in comparison to the officers of the town. A small amount of chairs were positioned for people in need of help, and a small flurry of officers were rushing around, and a receptionist hidden behind a wall with a window opening, glanced up as she shuffled papers. When she saw who it was, she gave them both a sneer of disgust. In fact, as Mustang looked around, every officer had nearly the same expression on their faces. It put him on the defensive almost immediately.

"Officers from Central, eh?" The receptionist with a nametag that said Sadie on it spoke up, "What can I do for you?" She frowned, as if telling them by her expression that they better not have anything they want.

"We're looking for someone, maybe you've seen or heard from him?"

"It's not that short military kid, is it?" She asked, raising an eyebrow, her attention going back to her paperwork. "The one that was wearing the red coat?" Mustang's heart skipped a beat. She knew who he was looking for!

"Yes, actually." Mustang said, feeling almost hopeful. Despite their disdain for the military officers, this girl was being more helpful than he had expected.

"I haven't seen him in a few days. Why? He decide to leave that bullshit of a job you call the military?" She mocked before he could even say anything more. Mustang's frown deepened at the tone of the young girl's voice. Hawkeye moved her hand with obvious intentions towards her gun, warning Sadie that they were not here to mess around.

"I'd be careful what you say around me or my officers," Mustang said darkly, his eyes thinning as he met Sadie's gaze, "now, I need to know what you have heard about my subordinate." Sadie blew out a puff of air, flipping her ash-blonde hair behind her as she did so.

"Like I said, he's not been seen or heard from in a few days. If he's not with you, then he probably ran away. He seemed young enough to be that kind of kid, ya know?" The further she spoke, the more agitated Mustang became. A glance around the room stated that the other officers were in no hurry to help them out, either.

"Do you have any idea what would have happened to him?" He inquired, ignoring the onslaught of glares around them, and his growing anger. Sadie pouted at him with annoyance before sighing loudly.

"As I've told you, twice now, he's not been around. But if you really want to find this precious boy who, in my opinion, left of his own accord, you might want to check with those people who worked under our previous mayor several years back." She turned away from him, as if his presence did nothing to cure her boredom. "I've heard tell tale that there is much hatred among his group."

Mustang stared at Sadie, then clenched his hand that was resting on the receptionist desk, before bowing his head, trying to restrain his anger. If he hadn't known about the resistance of their previous mayor, he might have thought Sadie to be mocking him even more so than now.

With a curt 'thanks' Mustang and Hawkeye walked out of the police station.

"Well at least that wasn't an entire bust," Mustang mentioned as they walked into the crowd on the street.

"No it wasn't," Hawkeye agreed, "Now all we need to do is find out where this ex-mayor is hiding away. If we could find some of his men, I'm sure it won't be much problem." Mustang nodded in agreement, his admiration for his 'queen' leveling up a notch higher. Her determination, along with her skill, were a few of the reasons why he had chosen her as his right hand man. He could trust her with his very life, or, as at the moment, the life of his subordinates. She gave him greater reason to want to change this world. It might not have started that way in the beginning, but somehow she had managed to change his reasoning. Even if a little bit.

Mustang quickened his pace, desiring now, more than ever, to find Ed. They searched the town square, talking to everyone they could to gain any information that would lead them to Ed, but they were unsuccessful. Every person they spoke with had the tone of defense and hate, leading them to give as little information as possible. Mustang pounded a fist on the table they had briefly sat down at to eat, frustrated at the progress they'd made.

"Relax, sir, it's only been one day. We'll have more time to search tomorrow." Hawkeye broke the silence as she finished eating, trying to assuage Mustang's internal worry.

"I know that." He replied, a little more terse than he had intended. Sunset was nearly at its end and people were dispersing from the streets. He'd chosen a restaurant with outside seats to gain the advantage of sight. The cool breeze felt good on his face, but it did little to calm his worry. He stared at the people left on the streets, barely able to see their faces now. "I just hope that when we find Fullmetal, it won't be too late."

"I think we've done what we could for today. We should head back to the hotel. With some sleep, we'll be able to think more clearly."

Mustang stared down at his half-eaten burger.

"I think you are correct," He stood from his spot, "let's head back to the hotel and see what the other's could find. Hopefully they were more successful than we were." Hawkeye stood as well, and in the dark, they headed back.

In the hotel, they met the other's. They sat in the lobby, their small chatter making sound. The mood was somber as Mustang and Hawkeye had a seat on the surprisingly comfy couch. The chatter died down as they all waited for Mustang's direction.

"So boss, you look just as tired as I feel," And Havoc certainly looked tired, a visible expression of what his day must have beheld.

"Yeah, no kidding." He swiped a hand over his face, exhaustion setting it. It had only been one day of searching, but Mustang could've sworn it was a lifetime. He looked around at everyone for a second, "So, did anyone find anything?" He looked around at the small mass of soldiers. They glanced around, having already discussed their day with each other, looking as if they would rather be shoveling horse poop over telling him their intel.

"I think I can speak for all of us when I say we haven't been able to find anyone who has come in contact with Fullmetal for the last couple days." A groan nearly escaped Mustang at Havoc's announcement, "but Breda and I did learn the whereabouts of former associates to the previous mayor."

"What?" Mustang's heart skipped a beat. This could be the lead they needed! "Where? Were you able to get any information from them?"

"Just a general location. But I think it's worth a look."

"I agree." Mustang stood, "tomorrow, we will look deeper into this. But for now, I think it's best we get some rest." Every soldier looked relieved to hear that, and Mustang almost felt bad for being so rigid. But then he remembered why he pushed them so hard and realized it was necessary.

They walked to their respective rooms, Hawkeye staying in the one across from Mustang.

"Sleep well, sir." She said with a small salute. Mustang saluted back before entering his own hotel room, falling asleep almost immediately despite his worry.

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Hope you enjoyed this first half and are looking forward to the second half! Please R&R! It always makes my day :D


	2. Part 2

**Hey Guys! Sorry for the late update! Turns out this story took longer than expected to write up xD It's ending up to be a 3-shot story! Hope you don't mind. There's was a lot of detail that needed to go into this, so please don't hate me. xD Anyway, enjoy and R &R! I'll have the next one up within a few days because I've already written it xD yay! **

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The next morning, Mustang woke up groggy. His dreams consisted of Edward cut in half by the homunculus Envy, and Mustang burning Edward on Ishval ground. His eyes felt weary. A quick, hot shower and massage to his eyes, Mustang was ready to leave, anxious to get their search moving. But when he walked down to the lobby, no one was there. A steady rapture to Hawkeyes door, and he learned that it was too early to do any searching. It was only then that Mustang realized the time. The only people awake would be those headed to an early morning job.

He sighed, frustrated that he couldn't even sleep in just an ounce longer than in central. Though if he were to admit it to himself, he would feel bad for wasting the time when his efforts needed to be elsewhere. Finishing off his coffee, Mustang ventured outside in the crisp morning air. The air was more brisk than in Central, but Mustang was fine with that. He looked around at the shops surrounding the hotel. Most were still closed, with very few people milling about, rushing to their destination.

Not wanting to seem like he was surveying the area, Mustang walked along down the street, paying attention to the minute details of each place. Although the city of Canan was prosperous, its shops seemed to be in need of fixing.

Mustang frowned, wondering if any of these places had caught Fullmetal's attention. He sincerely doubted it, which meant they wouldn't be very helpful. The one particular shop Mustang was looking for was of most interest to him. It was the area in which Fullmetal had needed to fix the dispute. A place called Surgers.

Mustang had specifically assigned this mission to Fullmetal because in the past, Surgers had been a place of alchemical notations and research. He figured if he sent Fullmetal this way, he would find a plethora of puzzle pieces leading to how he and Alphonse would get their bodies back.

"Now, if only I could find that damn shop." Grumbling aloud seemed to sooth his ill-tempered mood but nothing more. Looking at a map that stood plastered behind glass on the sidewalk, Mustang pondered his position and the best route to take when he was pushed into the glass itself, barely catching himself before hitting the board.

"What the hell!" He growled, too exhausted to care about his speech, looking around to see who the culprit was. They had vanished quicker than he'd expected. Glaring at his surroundings, he stuffed his hands in his pockets, intending to presume his task. A piece of crumbled paper, jammed clumsily into his pockets, caught his attention. He glanced around again, sure that the person was watching his actions. He then turned back towards the direction of the hotel, only opening the piece of paper once he reached his hotel room. In the privacy the walls provided, Mustang pulled out the paper.

 _Meet me at the flower shop at 1800 hours. I have information you may want._

His eyes slanted. Whether this person was pulling his leg or not, he knew there was no way he was missing this deadline. A rapture on his door caught his attention, and he opened it un-surprised to find Hawkeye on the other side.

"Sir, the other's are downstairs."

"Thanks," He said, distracted. His mind was too far away at the moment. Who in the world could that have been?

"Sir?" Hawkeye asked. Mustang realized she'd called out for a second time.

"Sorry, lost in thought." He smiled shortly, "I'll be down in a minute." She nodded, and let him be. For a moment longer, he stood at the closed door, staring down at the note before he crumpled it in his fist and headed to his subordinates and those who accompanied them.

It was only a short time later, after explaining to the group what had happened earlier that morning (and Hawkeye scolding him for going out on a day when the clouds were brewing with rain) that Mustang, Hawkeye, Breda and Havoc found themselves at the flowershop. Not that they were _trying_ to intimidate the person, but they were really trying to intimidate that person (or those people, who knew?) into giving them the information they wanted without having to come to some hard decisions. Such as Mustang flaming them to death if they didn't give him a satisfactory answer.

He did have his conscience by his side, however (in the form of Riza Hawkeye), so burning somebody would be hard to do. They walked into the store, a bell ringing above as they did so, and stopped just short of entering. Though the flower shop was small - no bigger than Mustang's office and the outside area that fit all of his subordinates - flowers and plants filled the area to the brim. To walk straight, even down a selected path, one would run into the plants. To say it was odd was putting it mildly.

"What could be the purpose behind bringing us here?" Breda thought aloud, murmuring everyone's thought.

"It's definitely got a weird vibe to it." Havoc chimed up, sniffing the air with a grimace. The scent of plants and almost a perfume were wild and strong, even Mustang had to make an effort to keep his face neutral. You never knew who was watching. Especially with that kind of note.

"I for one hope this man hurries it up. We don't have the time to waste standing here." Mustang could feel his impatience growing. He felt certain that they were running out of time, but the reason for that nervousness was precarious.

They soon found themselves at the very back of the store, having looked around a bit. Mustang had noticed an employer's door slightly encompassed by vines and other hanging plants, with water gently escaping underneath the door. Peculiar, to say the least.

A chime of the bell alerted them to someone else entering the store. Breda, having taken up the rear of the group, immediately set up a defense stance which would have been comical to Mustang had the circumstances been different. But they waited all the same, and watched as a man in a trenchcoat and top hat came close by, stopping about a foot away from Breda.

"Who are you?" Mustang growled, irritated that this man had the gall to hide his face. It was his opinion that if you plan on exploiting someone, at least do it with pride. To shame yourself by hiding your face was rather distasteful and left little room for respect.

"My name is not important," The man answered back, his voice raspy. He kept his face hidden, looking downward towards his shoulder.

"Why did you give me that note? Do you know something about the Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric?" Mustang had no interest in small chatter, wanting to get straight to the point so they could be on their way.

"I do."

"Do you know where he is?"

"I do not."

"Can you tell us who kidnapped him?" Riza piped up,

"I can give you a general idea." The man replied. He reached into his pocket, holding out a gloved hand with a note in it. Breda reached out and took the note, then handed it to Mustang.

"How do we know this isn't just a trap?" He asked, wary of the danger he could be putting everyone in.

"Well, I guess you'll just have to find that out for yourself, won't you?" The man lifted his head briefly, But the shop was too dark to see much of his features, though his eyes glimmered in the small light. It was a wonder that any of the plants grew in a place such as this.

The man bowed his head, before he quickly turned about and left the shop as fast as he had entered it. The group stared after the man for a moment longer after he was out of sight, each one subtly shocked at the abruptness of the meeting, having expected something quite different.

"Well… what does the note say?" Havoc asked, breaking the silence. Mustang had almost forgotten about the note. He looked down at it, feeling nervous at what it would say. What if it said that there was no chance of saving Fullmetal? How could he handle the guilt? He couldn't stop thinking about Alphonse and how this news would crush him. The boys were all each other had. If one of them was gone, and all due to the military affiliations - Mustang knew how selfish that was. But he was a selfish man. He had his goals. He was climbing his way to the top, and he knew the means by which he needed to do so to make it happen. He didn't want the pressing mount of guilt on his shoulders for the rest of his life, as he was sure this would cause. Glancing up, he made sure no one was in the shop. Matters such as this needed to be dealt with discreetly.

 _Look up a man by the name of Geoffrey Neumann, secretary to the previous Mayor Myolees. His hands are not clean, and you'd do well to watch your back. His information is valuable._

Mustang passed the note on to the others while he stewed over the information. His hands are not clean. The obvious answer to that was that this man had previously dealt with involvement to murder. Whether that meant he did the work himself, or hired someone, he still caused the action to transpire. Once everyone read the note, Mustang burned it, then headed out the door of the flower shop. Somehow, he always ended up with, or surrounded by, flowers.

"Breda, tonight, work with the others of intel to find out where we can contact that man. Havoc, at oh-eight hundred hours, I want you to be on the lookout for anyone overtly suspicious of our presence here in Canan." Mustang walked briskly as he talked, barely noticing the pace he set. "Hawkeye, keep on the lookout from above. We could use the arial view. Tonight, we find that man, and tomorrow, we act."

"Sir!" they said in unison, their voices bounced as they walked.

At seven-thirty that night, Breda went to meet with their local intelligence to gather the whereabouts of Geoffrey Neumann, ex-secretary to the previous mayor. Though it was unnecessary, Havoc kept a subtle look-out to make sure their safety was not compromised. Whoever the man was earlier, had wanted to exploit this Geoffrey. Mustang could care less if it was due to a guilty conscience or if it was simply because he wanted revenge. Worst case scenario, revenge is was it was, but the help it would provide to them would be welcomed. _Hopefully it provides some useful information_ Mustang thought.

A few hours later, Breda walked in the door, a grin on his face. The relief Mustang felt was inpalpable. They had a solid foundation of intel. Finally. Now, the real work began.

That night Mustang lay wide awake, his mind running. He felt he would explode if they didn't get some real answers soon. This man _had_ to know where Fullmetal was. They were _so close._ Once this was over with, he planned on taking a good long nap. The stress was cause bags to form underneath Mustang's eyes.

It seemed as if morning took longer than normal to arrive. The sky was overcast, but thankfully no rain had fallen. If it was any indicator to the previous day, then it would stay that way. The information Breda provided was brilliant. They had more information on this man then they could have imagined. Although, none of it was enough to convict the man of any real crime, hopefully learning about Fullmetal's whereabouts would be enough to convict the man of a small misdemeanor. Maybe more.

The stopped at a large home, a white, metal fence blocking their path to the front door. Cobblestones covered the ground in the same direction, the grass a deep green. The house stood farther back near a cluster of trees, with moss and grape vines practically drowning the house. When Mustang knocked on the wooden door, he was surprised by house thick it felt against his knuckles. Every detail seemed to reveal how much this man wanted to hide. If that man felt he would get away with even the slightest bit of knowledge concerning Ed, he was dead wrong. Mustang was going to get answers, and it was going to happen this day.

They heard footsteps growing louder, their tick on the ground like a woman wearing stiletto's. A middle-aged maid opened the door, revealing a walker stick with peculiar sharp edges at the bottom.

"Yes?" She asked, blandly. With brown hair in a bun, and bangs that sat straight across her forehead, a few longer strands on the sides, the woman seemed rather plain. Her share of unamusement sent the message that she'd rather be anywhere else. In his military uniform, Mustang announced himself and the other's with him.

"We've come to speak with Mr. Neumann."

"I'm sorry sir, but Mr. Neumann is not in at the moment." She started to shut the door, but Mustang quickly shot out a hand.

"I insist," he stated, announcing his refusal to leave. If Geoffrey Neumann wanted to play this game, then Mustang would play it. He'd done so many times before and had no qualms about doing it again. Though it was a tedious and detestable task, it seemed necessary.

"Very well, then," the maid said, and let them enter. Mustang and Hawkeye entered the house, while Breda and Havoc stood post outside never having stepped onto the property. The maid left their presence for a minute or so while they settled for standing in the foyer. Soon, she was walking down a set of steps, Geoffrey Neumann in tow.

"Colonel Roy Mustang," He stated lithely as he stepped off the stairs. He then turned to Hawkeye, his lustful stare angering Mustang. He couldn't help but smoothly fist a hand while he watched. "Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye," he said her name silkily. This man, whomever he was, had too soothing of a voice when speaking with his lieutenant. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

The man smiled, his straight, white teeth nearly glowing with their brightness.

"We have a few questions for you, Mr. Neumann." The smile faltered on Geoffrey's face and Mustang felt a bit of pride to know he saw some fear in the man's eyes.

"I'll answer what I can," He replied, as if he had no answers to give.

"You will." Mustang spoke evenly, the threat implied. They were shown to the sitting area, the coloring very bright and vibrant in the room, in contrast to the stucco of the outside. Geoffrey Neumann sat very relaxed on his chair, while Hawkeye stood behind Mustang, ready to act if necessary.

"Some of my men tell me that you used to be the secretary of the city to the previous mayor Myolees." Basic facts. If Mustang could get the man to spill information himself, the better.

"I was, yes."

"Have you two stayed in contact since then?" The question was, perhaps, more direct than Mustang had intended, but nevertheless, he was unapologetic.

"Colonel Mustang, I believe you have something you wish to accuse me of?"

Mustang frowned. He did not like this man, and it was obvious the feeling was mutual. The maid walked into the room, interrupting them with a tray of tea, oblivious to the tension in the room; though it was so thick you could cut it with a sword. Mustang waited for her to leave before he spoke again.

"What do you know about the disappearance of the Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric?" He kept his voice even. To endanger receiving the right information, who knew what consequences that could conjure up. Geoffrey narrowed his eyes, calculating, before leaning back against the chair. It was quite obvious that he knew something, but Mustang feared the man wouldn't "go down" without a fight.

"I'm sure I don't know what you're referring to." Mustang glared at the man, "I know of a state alchemist that was here recently, but I had heard he left town." Geoffrey fixed a cuff on his sleeve, barely giving any acknowledgement to the question.

"Don't give me that bullshit," Mustang growled. The man was infuriating. He was about ready to punch the man in the face for all his callous speech. "I know you know something, Neumann. Now tell me what I want to know, and we can be on our way as quickly as we came." Riza, standing next to him, gently put a hand to his shoulder, a silent reminder to remain calm.

"Threats, Colonel Mustang, fair little in the way of information." Geoffrey scooted forward on his seat, staring intently at Mustang, a sharpness to his gaze. The aloof air about him sewn shut as quickly as a slammed door. "You want your information?" He spat, "take a look at the only house on the block with a hanging tree branch." His glower seemed to reach his chin, as he leaned against his knees, appearing unaware of the danger which Mustang presented.

"Now, I must ask you to leave," Geoffrey announced after a few moments of silence, once again resuming his aloof state, taking a sip of his drink, "and remember this information I gave you, Colonel. I trust things will go smoothly between us from here on out?" He smiled arrogantly, as if any involvement he had in the case would be looked over due to this hideously small amount of information he'd given. Mustang could barely hide a scoff before he stood and left the house, Hawkeye following behind, their tea left untouched.

Mustang walked briskly, his heart pounding. A house with a hanging tree branch? That could be _anywhere._ But they were that much closer to finding where Fullmetal was. With this information, Mustang and Hawkeye met up with Breda and Havoc, announcing the small measure of information they received.

"Havoc, scour the city and find that _damn_ house with that damn hanging tree branch. Breda, inform the other men of the situation and what they need to do next. Hawkeye and I will do the same. We'll meet at twenty hundred hours and plan our strategy then." They all gave a nod, then set on their way.

It turned out that scouring the city was a more complicated task than they had thought. The city was large, so finding a house with such little of a description wasn't easy. But by the time they had returned at eight o'clock, Breda had some news. They waited for all the men to arrive before Havoc quickly spoke. Luckily the wait had been less than ten minutes.

"Sir, I've found the house." Mustang wanted to shout for joy. They finally had a lead worth following through with. Of course, wanting to avoid being a spectacle more than he already had been (anger really had a way of showing itself to those in the vicinity,) Mustang spoke quickly, his voice low.

"Where? Where is that damn house?"

"It's near the outskirts of town." Havoc paused, a frown on his face. Mustang did not like the look.

"What is it Havoc?"

"Sir…" he swallowed, "sir, the house, it… it doesn't look good, sir." He looked at the surrounding soldiers, before gazing back at Mustang who now had his hands clenched.

What had they _done_ to Fullmetal, if his subordinate has such an expression on his face before they even enter the house? He looked outside, taking note of the dim sky, before looking at everyone waiting for his word of action.

"We'll go tonight. Pack bags, bring flashlights, the whole works. Make sure to bring food and water just in case Fullmetal is in that house." Everyone gave a short nod of acknowledgement, "we'll meet back here in fifteen minutes. Got it?" The group then gave a hard salute,

" _Sir!_ " They voiced in union.

Fifteen minutes later, they were all gathered in the lobby, Mustang had had two soldiers grab vehicles for all of them to fit into, and they were off. Another fifteen minutes later, they pulled up to the address that Havoc given. Through the headlights, the house looked old and run down. Over grown grapevines lathered a fence that blocked their cars from entry. Even from far away in the dark, with only headlights to see in front of them, you could see the wood on the house chipping away. Blocks of wood lined the windows, and it was quite obvious that no one had been living in this home for a long time.

Mustang couldn't believe his eyes. His blood boiled. How dare they keep his subordinate in a place like this? What horrors lay as evidence inside? As much as Mustang wanted to find Fullmetal, he could _feel_ the emptiness of the house. Somehow, he felt like this was all wrong. That this wasn't where Fullmetal was; but yet, he felt an incessant need to satisfy his worry. So, as he scowled at the house, he pulled open his door and stepped onto the unkempt dirt driveway. He barely noticed everyone else as they stepped out of the cars, themselves. Putting backpacks on full of necessary equipment, Mustang broke the lock on the rusted gate, setting a quick pace to the house.

The second they walked into the house, Mustang's heart dropped. Not only because of the horrid smell in the air, but the place was ransacked. Rat poo scoured the edges of the walls, the electrical system barely broke through the darkness of each room. Though everyone had split up in search of Fullmetal, yelling his name, Mustang continued looking for a possible secret passageway. To take him to a place such as this, they had to have wanted him somewhere where he would be the most absolute uncomfortable. A place where, even those who randomly drove by wouldn't notice anything different about the house. If no one was living here, why would lights be on, right? Unless the citizens were so unfeeling that they couldn't give a care in the world to what was going on around them.

Less than ten minutes later, the two story home had been searched, with no answer from Fullmetal. Mustang grimaced as he took one last look at the disgusting kitchen. Mold, and spiderwebs plastering the walls, dirt everywhere you looked. They should've thought to bring something to cover their mouths with so they didn't get sick because of it. Suddenly, Havoc rushed into towards Mustang,

"Sir, there's a basement…" he paused, hesitant, "you might want to take a look." The look on Havoc's face made Mustang's stomach twist with anxiety. Something was horribly wrong. He and the other's followed Havoc to the basement door, in a section which Mustang had not been searching in, and opened the door, instantly becoming assauged with a rancid smell.

Quickly Mustang ran down the steps of the old, rickety house as fast as the darkness would allow, the other's following behind. The flashlights they were using barely breaking the thick darkness. Something was seriously wrong, here, and Mustang's insides twisted to confirm his anxiety. The basement of the old, rickety home was deeper than he had thought, and he couldn't help but imagine dark horrible things happening in this home decades ago.

With Hawkeye and several other soldiers behind him, Mustang reached the bottom of the stairwell, his heart beating fast. Maybe they had really found Fullmetal, stashed away in this nightmare. Had they really been able to figure out this quickly where Ex-Mayor Myolees had kidnapped Edward? Staring gravely at a rotten wooden door, Mustang put his gloved hand on the doorknob, expecting to easily enter the area beyond.

Annoyance ticked along his temple when the door didn't budge.

"Dammit-all," he muttered, irritated with the dank door. He let out a breath before kicking it onsauge of rotten filled the air, and a collaborative cry of disgust broke the silence.

"Fullmetal?" Mustang called, his flashlight trying to break the heavy blackness of the dark. He held his breath, hoping this was it. Hoping Edward would yell or scream or muffle any kind of sound to announce his whereabouts.

When no sound was made, Mustang and the others walked slowly forward - Hawkeye directly behind him, the combination of each flashlight adding greater visibility. Just a few shorts steps ahead was another door. The rotten wood so grotesque, Mustang was sure he would pass out. Whatever smell was coming from the other side of the door, it was not pleasant. Mustang's insides began to squirm. If Fullmetal was gone, there would be Hell to pay, and he would no longer be responsible for his actions. The idea that his youngest subordinate was no longer living or breathing was unfathomable, and that very idea caused his heart to squeeze uncomfortably. Whether it was because of Ed's age or for some other instincts Mustang had acquired, his level of caring was waning thin.

If Ed was gone… what would he tell Alphonse? How would Alphonse gain his body back? What would become of Alphonse emotionally? How could Mustang face him? Would he still feel like Mustang could be trusted? Would Alphonse blame him? Mustang wouldn't be surprised, and in fact, even felt he deserved to have the younger Elric brother's blame and hate, if it came down to that.

The increasing amount of responsibility Mustang felt for those boys over the last week was beginning to surprised him less and less. He wasn't sure when that changed, but however irritating it was, Mustang'd be damned to see either one of them killed. He internally grumbled at his growing amount of affection for the boys, and consciously blamed Hughes for acquiring these - what could only be surmised as - fatherly instincts.

Taking away a step in the process, Mustang kicked the rotten door open, unwilling to even touch the foul knob. It burst open easily, breaking off from the hinges and slamming to the ground. Puffs of air filled the area surrounding the door, and several coughs could be heard from the group, Mustang and Hawkeye included.

The room they entered was bigger. Two wooden pillars stood on the left and right of the entryway. The ceiling was so low, Mustang wondered whether or not insects would fall into his hair just from the air that drafted between his head and the roof. Dirt stood in place as walls in every corner, and, with the help of a flashlight, they could see a hanging ceiling light which hung as low as Mustangs shoulders. Its position was farther off to the right corner of the large room. In the left corner looked to be almost a kitchen size room, with bars for a door. Mustang walked towards it, wondering if his subordinate was locked away in that area.

"Fullmetal?" He called out, slowly approaching, wondering why he felt the need to keep the situation calm and collected. There was no answer. Hawkeye walked next to him, her presence helping him feel calmer than he was.

"Edward?" Her voice rang shrill to Mustangs ears, amplified by the eerie atmosphere. No sound was made beyond the dirt compacted wall. Mustang slowly walked forward, afraid to see what was beyond. Mustang wanted to roll his eyes at the metal bars. Because they were compacted tightly into the dirt, he acted like a door, but if he knew anything, it was that Fullmetal could easily break through something such as this and it worried him that it was completely in tact.

Shining his light through the bars, Mustang saw a similar light hanging down from the ceiling in that room as well. Directly underneath the light sat a rusted metal chair. The four legs embedded into the ground, though it looked like it could easily be pulled away. He stared incredulously at the chair. Ed was not there. A quick look around showed he wasn't lying dead on the ground either, but a look at the surroundings of the room made a pitfall in his gut.

Mustang quickly removed the bars from their place in order to take a closer look. Turning on the ceiling light, it provided very little room to see, but it helped his flashlight to peel through the thick black. Strange flecks covered the walls, ceiling, and ground. Mustang strode with purpose to a spot on the dirt wall where the splotch covered a large area. Taking a swipe with a gloved finger, Mustang inspected the residue on his hand. Blood. It was blood on the walls. Blood on the walls, ceiling, and the dusty cement floor. Mustang felt rage build up. This was torture. He knew the signs. Had been instructed to do the same back in Ishval. But if this level of torture was done to Fullmetal, Mustang knew what was intended here. An urgency soared through him to find Ed as quickly as possible. If he wasn't already dead yet. It had already been nearly four days since they had arrived in Canan. If they didn't find him soon- Mustang couldn't finish the thought as his rage bubbled. He strode out of the room, barely noticing Hawkeye near him, before he stopped just beside the wall of the room.

"DAMMIT!" Mustang yelled, slamming his fist against the wall, sending a burst of flames alongside the edges of the room. All was quiet for a tense minute, then he felt a hand on his left shoulder.

"Sir," Hawkeye said softly behind him. Mustang's pounding heart began to slow. There was no point in getting this angry yet. They still had much to do and no time to waste. With a small nod of his head to acknowledge her subtle message, he moved forward towards the exit. He could feel his ferocious expression without having to glance at the soldiers around him, but he didn't care. The ridiculousness of the situation irritated him most damnably, and he was ready to kick someone's ass as payment for what they've done.


	3. Part 3

**Hey Guys! I've _finally_ posted the last chapter and can officially say that this oneshot-turned-threeshot is now completed! I'm so sorry it took so long to upload! Right after I posted my last chapter, my mom had gone into the hospital and it turned out to be a life or death situation. :| really scary. She's doing okay now. Right after all that was happening with my mom, I found out that my work had been plagiarized, which made me feel a little uneasy posting more chapters up. In any case... I've received all your reviews and I thank you all who have read and reviewed! It made me so happy to get them and made it easier to want to post this chapter! I did report the websites that I found my work on and checked them recently. They have been taken down, so that's happy. **

**Anyway... I hope you enjoy the last chapter! There were some parts where I feel I could do better with, but I wanted to get this on here now since it's been a while xD**

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With blood boiling, Mustang stomped up the stairs, the other's following a few paces behind. He was exhausted, but simultaneously felt more invigorated to find Fullmetal stronger than ever. He paused at the rooms in front of him as he stood by the front door, as if glaring at them would reveal their secrets. But that was not reality. If he'd found those secrets, he'd already be Fuhrer.

So after the stresses of the past few days that would surely give him grey hairs, Mustang growled when they ran into one more obnoxious resistance. The second they stepped out the front door, they were assauged by shouts and cries from the surrounding brush.

With little time to comprehend what was happening, Mustang and his crew immediately set forth into action. The men behind the brush sprang forward, attacking with masons, and other such weapons. It surprised him a little that they had no guns as if they had digressed to medieval times. In any case, as satisfying as it would have been to burn them all, he had enough sense to realize what kind of incendiary problems would arise. It left him to fall to combat.

All it took was his quick action and his team followed suit. He barely noticed Hawkeye, Havoc, and Breda as he plunged a fist into a man's face, knocking him down. He moved on, blocking a punch his way and sweeping the guy's feet from under him. The battle proceeded for another few minutes before most of the men had been thrown unconscious. Mustang was grappling with a man on the ground, rolling from one side to the other to get some kind of leg up on each other. With great effort, Mustang decisively threw the man on his stomach, capturing his arms behind him, smashing his face into the dirt, kneeling on his back and using the force of his anger to hold the man down.

" _Who sent you?_ " The man garbled a few incoherent words, grunting as he tried to break free, " _Tell me!_ " Though it was dark, the man's glaring eye glinted from the light of flashlights Mustang's men were turning on.

"I don't - _agh_ \- know." Anger flashed in Mustang's own eyes. How dare this impudent man _lie_ to his face? He pushed the man's head harder into the ground.

"I swear if you don't tell me the truth right now, I will slowly burn your body until I get an answer, do you understand? Now, _tell me_ what I want to know." Blindsided by his anger, Mustang almost reveled in the fear he saw in the man's eyes.

" _Geoffrey Neumann._ " The man spit out, still trying to break free. Mustang stared at him for half a second before standing up and shoving him in the direction of some soldiers, who then proceeded to arrest him. It was then that Mustang realized the spotlight he was under. Every one of his men were standing nearby, watching him. Some with expectant looks on their faces, others with shock. He even thought he noticed a hint of sadness portraying beneath the veil of Hawkeye's mask.

"Good work, everyone." He wiped his mouth of sweat, "Anybody injured?" a few soldiers he didn't work closely with rose their hands, tending to an arm or a leg. Havoc seemed like he was limping a little and Breda was nurturing a bloody nose, but he was relieved to find nothing serious had happened to them.

"Well, at least we know who was behind this." Havoc groaned as he spoke.

"Let's just hope that it ends with Neumann." It made his blood boil just to think that Neumann had been a part of this and yet remain so stoic when confronted in person. "In any case, if this wasn't an obvious indication, we are on the right track and need to keep moving. Now more than ever!"

"Right," the other's said, shuffling towards their cars. Luckily, the men who ambushed them didn't think to trash their mode of transportation - and Mustang had half a mind to go to Neumann's house right this instant to confront him - but Hawkeye convinced him of the very much needed sleep they all needed and it was with a sigh of relief they entered their hotel rooms. Mustang plopped onto the bed, an arm around his eyes. He was just so _exhausted_. But then, if that room had anything to say for itself, he wondered how exhausted Fullmetal was. He was increasingly wracked with such a suffocating guilt; the thought of sleep would be a relief. Unfortunately, before he could delve into the land of nothing his mind would create, his hotel room rang.

"Hello?"

"This is Vicky from the front desk; an Alphonse Elric called you earlier, and said to call him back as soon as possible, no matter the time of day or night."

"Alright, Thanks," He hung up the phone warily, not really wanting to speak with Alphonse just yet. What would he say to him? What _could_ he say to him? The truth, he supposed. Alphonse was impeccable at picking out the lies. With a sigh, Mustang finally made the decision to give Alphonse a call.

"Colonel?" Asked an urgent Alphonse, picking up the phone nearly immediately,

"Hello, Alphonse. I was told you rang earlier."

"I did." He paused. Mustang was about to say something when Alphonse spoke up, "I… I hadn't heard from you in several days and knowing that my brother was taken… I just had to know. Have you found him yet?" Mustang dreaded the question. How could he answer with a lie when Alphonse sounded so trusting?

"No, Alphonse," with a sigh through his nose, and a pained expression no one could see, he continued, "we have not located Fullmetal just yet. We've come close, but there's still some digging to do." Mustang waited for a response, but silence was on the other end for longer than he'd anticipated.

"Alright then. I'm coming to help you look!"

"No, Alphonse, you need to stay there."

"Sorry, Colonel, but you can't stop me this time. Something's wrong and I want to come help. No… I _need_ to." Mustang sighed. As quiet and obedient Alphonse could be, he still had his brother's stubbornness. Unable to say no for a third time, knowing full well that Alphonse would come whether he approved or not, Mustang gave in and gave the address of where they were staying at. Alphonse promised he'd be there by the next afternoon. In an exhausted heap, Mustang lay back on the bed and promptly fell asleep. That next morning, he woke up just as the sun was rising, as if it were telling him that the day was ready for him to find his subordinate

His thoughts veered towards Geoffrey Neumann as he straightened his coat. The very thought of that man made him feel an extreme anger he was legitimately worried he wouldn't be able to control. What had this man been a part of? And _why_? But he was ready to confront the man now that he was less blinded by an onslaught of fury. Hopefully later that day they would have a point of direction which would lead to Fullmetal. Mustang really wanted to give that semblance of hope to Alphonse. His crew also deserved that form of retribution for all they'd been through so far. One thing was for certain, though. There was _no_ way that they were going to show Alphonse the blood-splattered room, or even hint towards it. Not only would it be inappropriate to talk about to a citizen, but Mustang had no desire to see Alphonse's reaction, let alone think it.

Making his way down the stairs of the hotel, he noticed Hawkeye, already awake, eating breakfast at one of the tables in the dining area.

"Sir," She said, sipping her tea, watching him steadily as he fell into the seat across from her. He felt extremely sore. The fight from the night before had done a number on him.

"How are you?" He finally asked, with eyes closed. His sleep had been less than restful.

"As well as can be pronounced in a this kind of situation. You look quite awful yourself, though." Mustang gave a short laugh at her response. Awful indeed. He looked at her.

"It's time we resolved this case and bring Fullmetal home." And then he took a good look at her, "you look like you could use some stitches." Hawkeye had sustained a large cut on her forehead, and she seemed to be favoring her side just a little more than usual.

"No, sir, I'm fine." She smiled faintly as if to prove her point. "In any case, we need find Geoffrey Neumann before he skips out of town."

"Yes, we do." Mustang nodded, sitting up straighter in his seat, "let's get moving. I'll have Havoc stay behind and interrogate the man from last night, and have Breda stay behind to watch for Alphonse."

"Alphonse?" Hawkeye repeated, surprised. Right, Mustang forgot that he hadn't told anyone about Alphonse, considering they had only talked before he had fallen asleep the night before.

"Yes. I talked with him last night. He was determined to show up to help with the search, whether or not I allowed him to come."

"That certainly sounds like him."

"Indeed. Anyway, let's go. I'll go inform the other's and meet you outside."

"Alright. And Sir," Mustang paused to look back at Hawkeye. She was holding out a crumpet with jam spread on top, "eat something. It's not healthy to start your day without a meal." Gratefully, Mustang took the crumpet and ate as he walked. He had hardly been able to eat the last few days. Though thoughts of the room filled with Fullmetal's torture made him feel nauseous, he ate anyway.

Luckily, the sun had fully risen by the time he left the dining area, and he only had to wait a second before Havoc opened his hotel room door.

"What's up, Boss?" His voice was cheerfully strained, trying to hide any physical pain he felt.

"I have an assignment for you. You alright to do it? You look like you could use a visit to the hospital."

"I'm fine. Just severely bruised."

"Good. I need you to interrogate the man from last night. Do what you can to gain any information about the reasons behind Fullmetal's kidnapping."

"Can do!"

"And make sure you have others with you. We need as many witnesses to this confession as possible."

"Okay."

"And inform Breda that Alphonse will be arriving today." At this, Havoc's eyebrows rose and it briefly made Mustang want to laugh. Having Alphonse show up was definitely not on the itinerary, but nonetheless a helpful asset. With a last, albeit strained, salute, Havoc shut the door and Mustang quickly made his way to the car Hawkeye had waiting in front of the hotel.

When they arrived at Geoffrey Neumann's house, Mustang had an eerily anxious feeling. Just one look at the house and he could tell something was wrong. Hawkeye seemed to feel the same as she pointed out a similar feeling. When they knocked on the door and received no answer, Mustang burst through the door, protocol be damned. They didn't have time to wait for warrants. Not that it mattered much, as it looked like no one was home. Mustang swore.

"He must've been tipped off!" Holding back a blow to the wall, Mustang's gloved fists were visibly shaking. They were so _close_ he could almost taste the answers on his tongue! And yet they were thwarted once again. After a moment of standing in the middle of the empty hallway, Hawkeye spoke.

"Sir, we should head back and find out what's going on in the interrogation room. They may have gotten answers."

"You're right." Mustang uncurled his fists, breathing slowly. There was still hope. They hadn't lost yet. But the longer time passed, the greater he felt anxious. They needed to find Fullmetal quickly. It was with this emotion that he realized Hughes had been right. He felt fond of the Elric brother's, which then caused him to worry about them a great deal.

Looking around the room one last time, he strode swiftly to their car, praying that answers would come soon. The moment they got back to the hotel, someone must have been watching for them, as Breda came running outside in an urgent manner.

"Sir!" He called, hardly waiting for Mustang to step out,

"What is it? Did you find out any information?" Breda nodded frantically,

"Sir! We know who captured Fullmetal!" Mustang's heart beat wildly. This is exactly the breakthrough they needed

"But sir, we found out some other things as well that you should be aware of." The concern on Breda's face was full of worry, which made Mustang all the more anxious.

"What?" Before he could answer anything more, Alphonse pulled up in a taxi.

"Colonel!" He popped out of the car, his metal voice ringing louder than usual. Mustang turned towards him,

"Hello Alphonse. I see you made it." It really was at the most inopportune time that Alphonse would show up. Mustang briefly wondered what he was going to do with Al now that he was here.

"Yeah, I did. Any news about my brother?" It was in this quick snap of a decision that Mustang decided it would be beneficial in the long run if Alphonse knew about Fullmetal's possible condition now instead of finding out about it later.

"Actually, we have just learned some news that my men found out. Come join me inside and we'll listen to the report."

"Uh… right." Alphonse watched as Mustang followed after Breda into the hotel. After a slight hesitation, he quickly followed. It was the small curve a Mustang's lips that gave away his malicious intent. Malicious because deep down, Mustang was ready to beat someone to a pulp.

Before they went to see their hostage, Breda took them to his hotel room, where they met Havoc and a few other's inside, all with grim looks on their faces.

"I see you have good news for me," In any normal situation, that would have been intended as a humorous statement, but when so much was on the line, none of them could even crack a smile. It worried Mustang that they were so serious. Whoever had taken Fullmetal was going to pay.

"We do, but…" Havoc briefly glanced at Alphonse who had come in behind Mustang - Hawkeye following after.

"It's alright, Havoc, I let him come."

"Sir." Havoc sat on the bed, a long sigh following as he leaned against his legs. "We were able to gain some unanticipated information about this particular kidnapping, and it doesn't look good." He hesitated once more, has he gave a brief glance at Alphonse for a second time, before staring at the floor. "The thing is…"

"Come on, spit it out, Havoc," Mustang's impatience was growing.

"Well, several years ago, the previous mayor of this town had a daughter who had been kidnapped." Mustang watched intently, knowing the story, "she ended up being found after having been brutally tortured and murdered." Alphonse audibly gasped. Mustang didn't make any motion to acknowledge that fact and waited for Havoc to continue. Hawkeye was no standing near Mustang, also staring intently.

"After that happened, the mayor grew into a great depression and ended up abandoning his stewardship. Before he disappeared, he apparently spoke a great deal about revenge against the military since we were unable to help him find his daughter in time."

"Hm, a mayor bent on revenge? So what's his purpose? Kidnap and torture a kid just because he's in the military?"

"What!?" Alphonse turned his head sharply in Mustang's direction, "torture? What do you mean, torture? Is my brother going to be okay?" Unsure of how to respond to Alphonse, especially considering the appalling scene they discovered the previous night, Mustang didn't answer him.

"Is that everything you were able to find out, Havoc?"

"No, sir, there's more." This time Breda piped in, a solemn air surrounding him, "according to our witness, Geoffrey Neumann wasn't very careful with the information he spewed to them. It looks like the Mayor has murderous intent… he aims to replicate everything that happened to his daughter…" there was deep sorrow written heavily in his eyes. "Sir… he plans on torturing and raping Fullmetal before killing him."

"What!" Both Mustang and Alphonse cried, incredulous. This was unexpected. But when Mustang thought of that room filled with Fullmetal's blood, he wasn't as surprised by this turn of events as he could have been; though the urgent need to find his subordinate was pressing on him more than ever.

"So, it's the mayor who has kidnapped Fullmetal?"

"Yes sir," Breda nodded,

"Alright then, I want everyone to take a look into every single place the Mayor has ever been to, including his home. Find out any recent sightings of the Mayor and other recent activities, including credit card expenditures. We'll meet up at oh-two-hundred hours."

"Yes sir!" They saluted him, then quickly shuffled of the room, leaving Alphonse, and Hawkeye in the room with him.

"Colonel… what's going on? They're going to kill my brother?"

"We only just received this information. Unfortunately finding Fullmetal has been more difficult than we anticipated." Alphonse was visibly shaking.

"Hawkeye, let's search any documents on the Mayor, see if there's anywhere he would possibly take Fullmetal."

"Yes sir," She saluted once more, then left the room, leaving Mustang and Alphonse together.

"I'm sorry that you have to find out this way, Alphonse."

"Yeah… this is pretty horrible." He gave a short laugh, "idiot brother… always getting into messes he can't get out of."

"This one really does put the icing on the cake, doesn't it?" Mustang smiled for a brief second, feeling awkward. He was never good at consoling. This was Hughes expertise. But even Mustang could see how distraught Alphonse was, though it was more in the way he held himself that clued him in. Scratching the back of his neck, he tried again,

"I'm sorry, Alphonse. When we see Fullmetal again, he's probably gonna be the worse for wear. But I promise we _will_ get him back!" That was the best he could do.

"Thanks…" After a second or two, Mustang stood up,

"Well, it's probably best that we go join Hawkeye and the others to help search for answers."

"Yeah.." Alphonse was understandably upset, but Mustang hoped that finding his brother would help alleviate most of his worries. Not to mention his own. This new bit of news was extremely worrying. If they didn't find Fullmetal in time- no, he wouldn't allow himself to think that way. There was only one option. Find fullmetal alive and incinerate those who took him. Well, maybe scorch them a little bit.. he wasn't looking to murder. Yet.

He, Hawkeye and Alphonse soon made their way to the mayor's building, flashing their badges that stated they were from the military and required historical documents of previous mayors. The surprise on their faces was prevalent when they walked into the building and made their request - or rather, demand.

They searched the documents for more than an hour, finding a few relevant facts. But it wasn't until they met up with the others that they were able to get some substantial information.

"What were you able to find?" He asked anxiously, hoping they could do something about it.

"Sir, it's good news. We were able to convince some of the townspeople to disclose a few of the more recent places they had spotted the previous mayor." Breda pulled out a piece of paper which he had written the information on, "there are a few places I think would be beneficial to check out." He listed off a few residences, but one stood out the most.

"He's been seen entering his own home, even though it was listed as vacant? That's odd…" Mustang stood staring at the sheet of paper, a hand against his chin in thought. "Let's head there first. Bring everyone." Something about this place gave him a foreboding sense. If this house was vacant, it should have been listed on the 'for sale' list. The very idea that they were about to find Fullmetal seemed too good to be true.

Quickly, everyone piled into cars, fully armed and ready for a fight. Hawkeye gave him a reassuring nod, while Alphonse sat in the back seat, quiet and patient, unwilling to bend and stay behind.

They made their way to the Mayor's old home, instructing his subordinates to not park too close by so they wouldn't be seen as easily. They parked on gravel about half a mile away, conscious of the tree's which gave them a semblance of privacy; this way it would be far easier to sneak up to the house, and ambush whoever may be inside.

Hawkeye cocked her gun, while others placed theirs in holsters on their belts.

"Alright, listen up." He looked at the large group of people who were there, "not everyone will be entering the house. In case there are more people in there, we need a decent number of you soldiers to stay back and arrest those who try to escape. Understood?" Simultaneously, everyone nodded their heads, arms too full of weapons to actually salute.

"Good, now, let's head out!" They then made their way to the house. Mustang prayed this was where they were holding Fullmetal. He was going crazy with the unknown. Though they walked silently, it was just their luck that as they got close to the house, someone spotted them. Mustang cursed. So much for an ambush attack. But he was relieved to know that they were on the right track. If people were armed in this house, it had to be the correct place.

Before they knew it, Several people swarmed out of the house, weapons of various kinds in hands. Amateurs who had no idea what real combat was. Mustang growled with indignation at their arrogance. How dare they come and attack the military? All of a sudden, the ground underneath them moved, causing them all to fall to the ground. With one look ahead, Mustang noticed an alchemist.

Already angry with the whole situation, Mustang could feel his blood boil. But before he could retaliate himself, Alphonse beat him to the punch. Relieved to have another alchemist at the ready, Mustang sprang to his feet and marched forward, the other soldiers who had come with him springing to their own feet, following behind.

Adrenaline pumping, he could hardly feel the bruises he had acquired the night before. He snapped his fingers, giving the men ahead of them a warning of what they would face if they tried to interfere any further. Unfortunately, they were not as afraid as he hoped the would be. With the alchemist fighting Alphonse, the other's began shooting guns they had brought out. A bullet whizzed by Mustang's head, narrowly missing his ear. Other shots were made, but he only heard one of his soldiers grunt with an impact. These men were in serious need of training, and by that time, Mustang had had enough. He snapped his fingers, allowing the fire to get as close to them as possible without actually incinerating them.

It was obvious that these men were only cityfolk. Their poor handling of weaponry as well as their clothing were clear signs of how inexperienced they truly were. It infuriated Mustang to know that the Mayor was so childish that he had to have innocent men do his dirty work. Closing in on the home, Mustang and the other's ran to get inside. Before he could actually place a step on the porch, something knocked him over, knocking the breath right out of him. Apparently their proximity to the house didn't go unnoticed to the alchemist, as he was running away from Alphonse and closing the distance between them.

Enraged, Mustang stood up and snapped his fingers. He'd had enough! The alchemist screamed out and fell to the ground. Alphonse caught up to them as they hurried into the house, only to meet several other men waiting for them as they entered, fear completely evident in their eyes.

"WHERE IS HE!" He yelled, livid beyond belief. He watched all the men in the room stare at him in shock, unwilling to bend and answer any questions.

"Now now, there's no need to get your feathers in a twist," A man entered the room from a door in the back of the room. Mustang narrowed his eyes.

"What have you done with my brother!" Alphonse vocalized, ardently. The man smirked and suddenly Mustang knew exactly who it was. Rage filled him so swiftly that he couldn't hold back. Flexing his fingers, he snapped to his right, causing fire to flame around the room, illuminating each face ominously. Everyone but the mayor gasped in surprise and dismay.

"I _SWEAR_ I will burn you all to a crisp if you don't tell me where my subordinate is."

"If you would just calm down, I'm sure we could have a nice chat and get things figured out." The mayor calmly walked his way, as if nothing was out of the ordinary. Already impatient with how long it took to get to this point in their search for Fullmetal, Mustang glared at the mayor while he spoke to Alphonse.

"Alphonse, go take a look up those stairs. Search every inch of this house until you find Fullmetal!"

"Right!" Alphonse didn't wait a second to get moving. But as he moved to go up the stairs, a man stepped in the way.

"Sorry, no one is allowed up the stairs."

"Sorry, but I don't have time to waste with your pathetic reasons. Move." That statement was the first that Mustang was aware of how angry Alphonse was, too. When the man refused to move, Alphonse took action and punched him, knocking him unconscious. With that one maneuver, a whole chain of reactions happened rapidly. Fighting commenced. The Mayor intentionally attacked Mustang, getting in a punch before he was soon on the defend. All around, chaos ensued, and in the midst of battle, Mustang heard the most relieving words he'd heard in awhile.

"I found him, Colonel!" Alphonse's voice wafted down the stairs, and it was such fantastic news, that Mustang suddenly found the adrenaline he needed to throw the mayor to the ground, knocking the wind out of him. All around him, Mustang noticed the heightened efforts of his men, finding the strength to overcome the cityfolk, most of them having been thrown unconscious. The room was a mess, chairs were knocked over, the walls were burned, men were groaning, but Mustang could care less. As he was about to head up the stairs, Hawkeye and Havoc following behind, backup soldiers arrived, bringing in tow a scantily clad woman. Though she looked irritated, her hair in disarray, she did as she was told, bound and gagged as she was.

He and Hawkeye hurried up the stairs, anxious to see Fullmetal. Nothing could have prepared them for what they saw before them. He was unable to break his stare, as he gaped at the wounds Fullmetal had sustained. Mustang worried that they had damaged him too much. That these injuries and everything he'd been through had caused him to change. But then Fullmetal spoke, choking out the words.

"Took like you long enough," And it was those words that Mustang was able to realize Fullmetal was still Fullmetal, "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were worried." Mustang snorted, wanting to almost laugh with relief, finding the courage to get closer to Fullmetal.

"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about, shorty." He quipped in automatic response. Sometimes he said things as if they were a voice message, he couldn't quite help it. As he was about to place a hand on Fullmetal's shoulder, he realized what he was about to do, and held back, bringing his fisted hand to his side.

"How. The _hell_. Did this happen, Edward?" He couldn't believe the state his subordinate was in. Couldn't believe he'd allowed this to happen. It was like reality had smacked him in the forehead, telling him that his youngest subordinate was not as untouchable as he sometimes liked to believe.

"Ambush," Fullmetal replied, simply, with an airy voice. So many hidden meanings in that one little word, and with how exhausted and beaten Fullmetal looked, Mustang surmised it would be best to save the interrogations for later, no matter how much he wanted to know just what went on in that horror-filled room. He wasn't sure he could handle the reasonings behind why a woman dressed the way she was had been in the same proximity as Fullmetal. His suspicions as to why she was here made him feel sick, and he only hoped that he had gotten here in time.

Abruptly, Fullmetal coughed, moaning in the process. Alphonse was quick to respond, shooting out hands in case he were to fall or need help in some way or another,

"Are you okay, Brother?" Alphonse asked, worry evident in his voice. The look of agony on Ed's face was more than Mustang could handle. He made a move to speak, deciding he had to know _now_ just how he had sustained such horrible injuries, but Hawkeye was quick to stop him.

"Colonel," she said, softly, shaking her head slightly. It was that simple statement that brought him back to his senses and he held back asking what he really wanted to say, and instead said,

"Let's get you cleaned up, shorty." He smirked when he saw that familiar look of annoyance on Fullmetal's voice.

"Don't call me...short." Fullmetal wheezed out with a cough. Just that small banter back and forth comforted Mustang in a way he hadn't realized he needed, and he couldn't help the smirk come across his face that their usual conversations were taking place at such an odd time. But it unfortunately never alleviated his anxiousness at the health his subordinate was in, or rather, failing to exceed at at the moment.

Wanting to leave this horrendous house as quickly as possible, he walked over to help Alphonse get Fullmetal to his feet, careful to avoid the visible wounds that cascaded his body. He felt so enraged by the state Edward was in, he really wanted to follow through with his threat earlier to burn them all. How _dare_ they hurt one of his own. How _dare_ they think they could get away with something like this.

They walked down the stairs, slowly, and Hawkeyes irritation with the whole situation not going unnoticed by Mustang. At this moment in time, Mustang was extremely grateful for the crew he had acquired, whom he could trust so easily. If it hadn't been for them, this mission would have been impossible.

While he and Alphonse stayed close to Fullmetal, Mustang was surprised to suddenly hear a laugh come out of Fullmetal's mouth,

"You guys look like you've seen a ghost," Again, Mustang was surprised by Fullmetal's attitude, and he couldn't help but roll his eyes in response. Really, after all that Fullmetal had put him through, he was really going to do this? Alphonse, however, was appalled.

"Brother! This is no time for jokes!"

"Sorry, Al," Edward was so apologetic, it nearly oozed off his words. Unable to stand the weird atmosphere, Mustang spoke up,

"Come on, Fullmetal. Everyone's waiting for your return." Ed nodded as he tried to stand. They had made it down the steps before Fullmetal needed to take a rest on the bottom step, observing their surroundings. So, as he stumbled forward, Mustang and Alphonse moved to help him out.

"Hawkeye, make sure these men are taken into custody as accomplices to the kidnapping of the state alchemist, Edward Elric."

"Understood." She said, quickly moving to the other officers in the room, watching over the bound men. Knowing the situation was well in her hands, Mustang turned his attention to Fullmetal, he and Alphonse walking Ed's snail pace.

"Holy hell this hurts a lot," he muttered. Mustang frowned. He'd give anything to switch the situation. A kid Ed's age should never have had to go through something this horrible.

"Idiot. Of course it does." Alphonse quipped, trying to lighten the mood.

"Next time, try not to get kidnapped. Alright, Ed?" Mustang chimed in, gratified to hear the laughter bubble from Ed's throat.

"Right," He stated with a breathy laugh entwined with a small cough. It was this moment that Mustang knew without a shadow of a doubt that even when something like this happened, things wouldn't change. He'd still be his usual self. And it was this moment that Mustang realized that he didn't care one whit whether or not he felt a fatherly affection towards the Elric brothers.


End file.
